Accident
by hannahfftry1
Summary: When a car accident leaves Aaron's world turned upside down, how will he cope? Aaron / Robert fic, set later when they've been together for a good while. Now complete.
1. Chapter 1

**I've had this half written on my computer for a few weeks, so thought it was time I finished it. Maybe 3 chapters, or a bit more. We will see!**

* * *

"You're smiling," Robert said, briefly glancing at him before returning his attention to the road.

"Ah well, can you blame me?" Aaron said. "I'm happy." It had been a rare occurrence in the past.

"Happy looks good on you." Robert grinned, that lopsided smile that stopped his heart for a moment.

"Robert! Look out!" Aaron shouted, seeing a van weaving across the road, the driver clearly losing control. For a few moments it felt like everything was going in slow motion as Robert swerved into the hedge, trying to avoid the oncoming van. It didn't work.

The sound of the van crashing into the car was louder than Aaron thought possible as the car rolled over. The impact made him shake in his seat, but by the time the car stopped moving he felt like he was roughly still in one piece. He looked at the drivers seat, and Robert didn't look in good shape at all. Blood was welling from his mouth and his eyes were closed, bent over the steering wheel. The car was severely dented on his side too. "Robert, no," he said under his breath. "Come on, look at me!" he shouted, fighting with the seat belt to try and get him out of the car.

"…mm.."

"Good," Aaron said. "You're alive." Then he looked down at his chest. Robert's shirt had gone dark with blood, welling from God knows where. "Oh God." Making a decision, he got out of the car and he pulled Robert out after a long struggle, eventually laying him down on the side of the road. He hurried in his pocket for his phone. "Ambulance!" he begged into the phone. "I don't know where we are. Car accident between Emmerdale village and Hotten. It's an emergency." He almost threw the phone aside as Robert started coughing blood, clearly in pain.

"Robert, look at me," he said quietly. "Come on, you need to look at me." After a moment his eyes flickered open, taking another few seconds to focus on him. Aaron smiled. "Just stay with me."

"You're bleeding," Robert said, seeing a cut on Aaron's head.

"Forget me," Aaron said impatiently. He wasn't important. "You alright?" Then felt like kicking himself for asking that right now.

"Not so good," Robert said. He coughed heavily, blood coming up, which Aaron tried and failed not to panic about. "I'm not going to make it, Aaron."

"You're not going anywhere," Aaron said. "Okay?"

"Aaron, I can't breathe," he said tightly. "And my chest… feels like… it's going to explode."

Aaron looked down and swallowed uncomfortably. His entire upper body was blood soaked, so thick it looked black. "Oh, my God."

"This is bad," Robert said. He frowned in pain as he coughed again, more blood coming up. "Aaron…"

"You're going to be fine," he said.

"I can tell when you're lying to me," he said. "Don't lie."

"An ambulance is coming," Aaron said, a hand to his cheek, trying to comfort him. "Come on, you just have to stay with me for a bit longer." He could feel Robert's cheek, cool against his own warm skin. Silently he begged Robert not to leave him.

"Aaron…" Robert said, keeping his eyes focused sharply on his. "I'm dying."

"No," he said, shaking his head. "Don't be stupid."

"I love you," he said, eyes urgent, as if needing Aaron to understand how important this was. "I love you."

"No, don't," Aaron said. "Don't do this, don't say goodbye to me."

He closed his eyes, exhaling softly. "Robert!" Aaron screamed. "Don't you dare! You have to look at me."

"I'm so tired. I need to sleep."

"No, you don't."

"Don't," Robert breathed, keeping his eyes on Aaron's. "Don't spend the rest of your life unhappy."

"Stop it," Aaron said firmly. "You're not going anywhere."

"Oh God," Robert said, closing his eyes. "I don't have the energy to argue with you."

"Then stop arguing," Aaron suggested.

"Aaron, kiss me," he asked.

"No," he said stubbornly. It felt like kissing him really would be saying goodbye, and he couldn't bear that.

"Please," Robert said. "I feel… far away." Aaron swallowed against the lump in his throat, and leaned over him, kissing him gently. Robert barely responded to him, and Aaron could taste his blood. When they parted Robert was looking at him urgently, eyes wide.

"I don't regret anything with you," Robert said, his breathing coming in short gasps now. "Not one thing."

"Stop talking like this," Aaron warned. "I'll start getting really annoyed." Robert smiled slightly, a tilt at the corner of his mouth. Which stayed there frozen. "No, come on." Robert's eyes had closed and the silence was damning. His gasping for breath had been so loud, now that it'd stopped, Aaron could hear nothing but the wind. "Come on, look at me," he begged. "Please Robert, don't do this to me." He reached for Robert's wrist, desperately feeling for a pulse. It was there and Aaron sighed. Still alive. For now. He needed that ambulance hurry the hell up.

* * *

 **Not entirely sure which way this is going to go yet! Let me know, and thanks for reading.**


	2. Chapter 2

Aaron had a tight grip on Robert's hand, his other hand curled around his face. He hadn't spoken in minutes and Aaron could taste the panic in the back of his mouth. _Sirens_. He heard sirens approaching. Thank God. It took only a few minutes for a paramedic to approach him, though it felt like a lifetime to Aaron.

"Sir, I need you to move so we can't have a look at him," one said. It was with great reluctance that Aaron moved away from Robert and was no longer touching him as two paramedics looked at him. "What's his name?"

"Robert," Aaron said quietly, looking at his pale face. "He… he's going to be okay, right?" They didn't answer him, instead getting a stretcher and loading him onto it. "He needs to be okay."

"Are you all right?" One of the paramedics asked him, seeing the blood flowing from a cut above his left eye.

"Fine," he said shortly, waving off the paramedic who was trying to help him. He didn't want the paramedics to waste time on him, he wasn't the one who was dying. Aaron got in the back of the ambulance, just after they'd loaded Robert inside. He wasn't going to leave him, not for anything in the world.

"He needs to be okay," Aaron repeated, feeling like the paramedics didn't quite get how important Robert's life was. "Robert's my boyfriend," he added, though why he felt the need to say that, he didn't know.

* * *

As soon as he'd arrived at the hospital, Robert had been wheeled off, into emergency surgery. Aaron felt a tiny bit of relief, because that meant he was still alive. Aaron made a decision and went into the hospital waiting room, where he could use his phone. He needed to make two phone calls. The first was to Victoria. He wanted to call his mother, but he knew that as soon as he heard Chas's voice, he'd fall apart, and he was trying so hard to hold himself together.

"Hiya," Vic said, answering her phone. "What's up?"

"Vic, I've got bad news," he said. "I need you to stay calm."

"Aaron, you're scaring me. Spit it out."

"Robert and I… we've been in a car accident."

"Oh, my God," she said. "Is he okay? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Aaron said dismissively. "Robert's… in surgery. It's… don't know whether he'll make it." His voice wobbled and he took a deep breath to try and stay calm.

"Oh God!" Vic said. "I'm on my way."

"He'll be in surgery for a while," Aaron said.

"Don't care, I have to be there."

"Are you at work?" Aaron asked.

"What? No," she said. Aaron had wondered whether Vic could tell Chas first, but no such luck. "I'll be there in ten minutes."

" _Drive carefully,_ " Aaron said forcefully.

"Twenty then," she said. "Bye." Aaron gave up pacing and collapsed into a chair while he dialled his mothers phone.

"Hiya love," she said. Aaron couldn't find the words straight away, so she spoke again. "What's wrong?"

"I'm okay," he said first.

"Of course you're okay, why wouldn't you be okay?" Chas said, her words clipped with worry.

"I've been in a car accident," he said quietly. "It's bad."

"How bad are you?" Chas asked. He could hear shuffling and assumed she was picking up her keys and coat to get on her way. "Broken legs? What're we talking about?"

"I'm not," he said. "It's… Robert." His voice caught on his name and Aaron felt like he couldn't go on.

"Okay," Chas said, and Aaron hated the calmness in her voice. It was as if Aaron was okay, so Robert didn't matter. "How bad?"

"He…" Aaron took a deep breath and tried again. "He might not make it. Mum, I… I don't know what I'm going to do if…"

"He will be fine," Chas said, trying to soothe him.

"You don't know that. There was so much blood, mum." As he said that, he looked at his hands, still stained with Robert's blood. He really needed to wash them. "He… was trying to say goodbye to me, he thought he was dying. He might be."

"Aaron, I'm on my way," she said. "You need to keep calm until I get there."

"Mum…" his voice was so small and he couldn't stop it. "If he dies, I'll fall apart."

"No you won't," Chas said. "And he won't. Look, I'm on my way. Love you."

"Yeah," Aaron said. "See you in a bit."

* * *

All Aaron had done by the time Chas arrived was wash his hands clean of Robert's blood and take up his pacing again. The worry, the fear was palpable. Victoria hadn't yet turned up, and when he saw his mother, Aaron almost collapsed into her arms, holding her tightly.

"It'll be okay," Chas said, holding him close. "Whatever happens."

"I can't lose him," Aaron said desperately. "Mum…"

"Have you heard any more?" Chas asked, letting him go.

"No," he said. "Still in surgery. It could be hours yet."

"You know you're bleeding?" Chas said, looking at his head.

"It's fine," Aaron said dismissively. They were interrupted by a nurse approaching them.

"Aaron, we'd really like to check you out," she said gently. "Your head needs stitches and we need to check you're not bleeding internally."

"I'm fine," Aaron said at the same time Chas spoke.

"You haven't been checked out yet?"

"He's refused," the nurse said, with raised eyebrows.

"Aaron!"

"I'm not important," he said, shaking his head.

"Aaron, come on," Chas said. "You killing yourself because you're worried about Robert won't help anyone."

"Fine," he said quietly. "You'll stay here?"

"Course," she said. "I'll let Vic know."

"Good."

* * *

Within an hour, Victoria, Chas and Aaron were sat in the waiting room in silence. Aaron's cut had been stitched and they'd confirmed that he wasn't injured anywhere else.

"I can't take this," Aaron said, getting up and starting pacing back and forth.

"He'll be okay," Chas said.

"You don't know that," Victoria said. "He might not be."

"That's not helping," Chas said, seeing Aaron swallow and look down at the floor, trying to block out Victoria's words.

"Mum, go home," Aaron said. "I appreciate you being here, but we're all just waiting."

"You sure, love?" Chas asked. The sympathetic look in her eyes made it clear what she was thinking. She wanted to be here for Aaron in case Robert didn't make it.

"Yeah," he said. "I'll call." Vic nodded to Chas, silently saying that she'd keep an eye on Aaron. Chas hugged her son once more and then left.

* * *

Aaron was frantic, pacing up and down, as he waited for a doctor to tell him something, anything. Victoria watched him, unable to find the words to calm him. She was incredibly worried, but Aaron seemed to be on an entirely different level.

"Calm down," Victoria said, having no idea what to say to stop him pacing. It was setting her teeth on edge. Aaron ignored her. Time crept by, and eventually a doctor approached them.

"Robert Sugden, how is he?" Aaron asked in a rush, Victoria standing just behind him.

"He's out of surgery," the doctor said. "We've managed to stop the bleeding and repair the damage the crash caused. He's unconscious but stable."

"He's going to be all right?" Victoria asked.

"We don't know, but we're hopeful at this stage." Aaron let out the breath he'd been holding for what felt like hours.

"He's alive?" he asked quietly, the doubt clear in his voice.

"Yes," the doctor said, allowing a small smile. "There was a complication during the surgery. His heart stopped. We got him back, but it might be a while before he wakes up.

"But… H…. he's alive?" Aaron questioned in disbelief.

"Yes," the doctor said. Aaron closed his eyes, exhaling heavily. Alive. He almost fell into the chair with the relief of it.

"I need to see him," Aaron said firmly.

"Of course." Aaron and Victoria both followed the doctor at a speed which felt infuriatingly slowly until they reached a closed door. Aaron pushed past the doctor and walked into the room, freezing just the other side of the door. Robert lay in a hospital bed, immobile, eyes closed. He looked so small and frail that Aaron couldn't comprehend it. He knew Victoria was just behind him and made his feet move, to walk over to him, sitting in the chair next to him.

"Oh, Rob," Vic said sadly. Aaron couldn't tear his eyes from his lifeless face. He looked so close to death that Aaron blinked away the tears, needing to keep it together. He reached for Robert's hand, not caring that Victoria was present, just needing to be touching him in some small way. Then, on impulse, he kissed Robert's temple very softly. "I'll give you five minutes."

"I don't want to drive you out," Aaron said, not taking his eyes off of Robert.

"You're not," she said quietly. "But I'm in the way." Aaron didn't argue, he wanted time alone with Robert. Victoria left and Aaron sighed, looking at Robert.

"So, your heart stopped?" Aaron said to him quietly. "Don't do that again. I need you to wake up." He swallowed uncomfortably, his thumb stroking Robert's hand gently. "I need you alive." Then he voiced something he'd been feeling all day. "I can't imagine my life without you any more. Come on, Robert. Wake up." Of course there was no reaction, but then he hadn't expected there to be one. Hoped. He kissed Robert's hand gently before he got up. "I'm going to get Vic while I call mum," he said softly. He was reluctant to leave him, but knew that Vic would want some time with her brother.

* * *

 **Thank you for the reviews for chapter one. More as soon as I've written it!**


	3. Chapter 3

Outside Roberts hospital room, Vic stood there, forcing a smile.

"I'm going to call mum," Aaron said. "If you want…"

"Thanks," she said, going into the room. Aaron leant against the wall, breathing heavily, unable to comprehend the events of the last few hours. When he'd stopped shaking, he called Chas.

"Any news?"

"He's out of surgery," Aaron said. "Still alive."

"That's good."

"I know, but… his heart stopped. They got him back but… Mum, I'm scared." He didn't feel able to voice that to anyone else, but his mother knew him too well, she'd see through any lie he tried to tell.

"He'll be okay," Chas said. "You know Robert, he's far too stubborn to give in to mortality."

"Mm."

"Are you coming home?"

Aaron scoffed. "You know I can't leave him."

"I know," Chas said. "Just thought I'd suggest you get some sleep, even if you don't take it."

"Gotta go," he said shortly. He hung up and returned to Roberts hospital room, smiling tightly at Vic.

"What happened?" Victoria asked.

"Car crash," Aaron almost grunted.

"I know that," she said sharply. "I meant…"

"You meant who's to blame," Aaron said lowly. "Robert was driving. It was fine. We were just talking. And then this van came out of nowhere, going all over the road. Robert swerved, trying to avoid it, but it hit his side, and the car rolled. When the world stopped moving, Robert was slumped over the steering wheel. I got him out of the car and called an ambulance." He spoke without emotion, trying not to feel the words.

"Was he awake?" Vic asked. "Talking?"

"Yes," Aaron said shortly.

"What did he say?" Aaron shook his head. He didn't want to go there. "Come on, Aaron."

"He thought he was dying," Aaron said sharply. "And he said some things that I really don't want to think about right now."

"Why?"

"Vic, don't push me!" Aaron said loudly. Then bit his lip, feeling bad for shouting. "He was saying goodbye, and I can't think about that." Aaron stared at Robert's face, unable to take his eyes off of him. Even though Aaron didn't move, and nothing was said, Victoria felt like she was in the way. An unwanted observer.

"He'll be all right, won't he?" Aaron said, his eyes flicking to Victoria.

"Course," she said, forcing a smile.

* * *

 _Four days later._

Victoria walked into Robert's hospital room and stopped at the doorway.

"Go home," she said to Aaron. "Have a shower, get some sleep."

"I can't leave," Aaron murmured. He was so tired that it was a struggle to keep his head up, let alone follow the conversation, but his eyes were still on Rob.

"They will call you if he wakes up. I'll stay here with him, I won't leave his side. I'll call you if there's the slightest change."

"He can't wake up without me being here," Aaron said slowly, his words slurring with tiredness. "He can't think that I don't care. That I left him alone."

"He wouldn't think that," Victoria said softly. "He knows how much you love him."

"Vic? Go away," Aaron said quietly, his eyes flicking closed with sheer exhaustion.

"Aaron…"

"Seriously," he said, actually looking at her for the first time. "Go away. Now."

Vic sighed, looking at her brother. Then she shook her head and turned to go home. Once outside the hospital, she made her mind up. She called Chas.

"Hi Vic."

"I need your help," she said. "It's Aaron."

"I know," Chas said sighing. "He won't leave the hospital. I can't talk any sense into him."

"Will you give it another go?" Victoria asked. "Please? I'm worried about Robert, I don't need to worry about Aaron's sanity as well."

"How is Robert?" Chas asked.

"No change," Vic said, sighing. "I thought I'd seen enough of this hospital to last a lifetime."

"I'll come up to the hospital," Chas said after a moment. "Try again. But don't hold your breath, Aaron never listens to what I say."

"Thank you."

* * *

"Tired of staring at the same four walls yet?" Chas asked as she entered Robert's hospital room.

"Let me guess?" Aaron said quietly, not taking his eyes off of Robert's face. "Vic."

"She may have called."

"I'm not leaving him," Aaron repeated. "I can't. Knowing my luck, he'll wake up the second I turn my back. Then what'll happen? He'd be alone."

"I'd stay with him," Chas reluctantly volunteered after a moments silence. "Call you the second he wakes up."

"Vic's already suggested that," Aaron said. "I… I can't."

"Forget going home for a minute," Chas said, knowing that persuading him to sleep for a few hours wouldn't be happening. "When's the last time you had something to eat?"

"I… don't remember."

"Right, you're going to go down to the canteen and eat something," Chas said firmly. "I don't think I'm going to persuade you to go home, but you're no good to anyone if you're not eating or sleeping."

Aaron looked at Robert's face, the sense in Chas's words battling with the need to not leave him. "Okay," he said after a moment. "I could… do with some food."

"Good," Chas said. "I'll stay here."

Aaron let out a breath of a laugh. "He'll really think he's in trouble if he wakes up and you're here." Chas pulled her son into a hug and felt relieved when he hugged her back. Aaron let go of her impatiently and turned back to Robert.

"Don't you dare go anywhere," Aaron said, his voice almost threatening, a palm to Roberts face. "Please. I can't cope without you."

Chas felt like she was intruding, as Aaron kissed Robert's cheek gently. She shouldn't be here, witnessing this. "I will be half an hour. At most."

"He will be fine," Chas said slowly. Aaron nodded, like he didn't really believe it. "Come on," she said. "You know Robert, there'll be no one to manipulate and wind up if he dies." Aaron smiled slightly at his mother but he left the room anyway. Chas sighed and sat down opposite Robert.

"You better not die," she said to Robert's unconscious form. "If you hurt him like this, I will kill you." Chas realised the irony of that, but she didn't care. There were plenty of places she would rather be right now than sitting at Robert's hospital bedside, but for Aaron, she wouldn't move. It took ten minutes, then Robert twitched, his head moving to the side.

"Oh, you have got to be joking," Chas said under her breath. "Seriously, now?"

Robert groaned, frowning as he opened his eyes, breathing heavily and painfully. "W…what?"

"Robert, you're fine," Chas said, pulling the chair closer to the bed so he could see her. "You're in hospital and you're going to be fine."

"Oh, no…" Robert looked at her, fear in his eyes. "Aaron? Please don't tell me he's…"

"He's fine," Chas said, guessing that Robert was worried something had happened to him. "I promise he's fine."

"But… I remember the car crash. He was right next to me when the van came out of nowhere. And… you're here, which means… he isn't."

"No," Chas shook her head, trying to reassure him and smiling. "He's been sat by your side and he hasn't moved for four days, waiting for you to wake up. I finally persuaded him to get something to eat."

"He… Aaron's okay?"

"Yes," Chas said.

"You're not lying to me?" Robert asked desperately. "He's fine?"

Chas nodded. "I have to call him. He will kill me if I don't." Robert smiled slightly, his breathing coming easier as the immediate panic subsided.

"Good." Chas sat there in silence. "Are you going to call him then?" Robert asked, impatiently. He needed to see Aaron with his own eyes, to make sure he was okay.

"He's been waiting four days. You can wait another five minutes."

"Chas?!"

"Robert, he needs to eat something. If I call him, he won't. And you're clearly in no danger of going anywhere soon."

"Chas…" Robert said lowly. He needed to see Aaron with an urgency he couldn't explain

"Fine," she said, sighing. She left the room to call Aaron, away from the hospital "no mobiles" signs.

"What?" Aaron asked desperately when he answered. He'd seen who was calling.

"Robert's asking for you."


	4. Chapter 4

**I feel like this chapter has a lot to live up to, so I hope I don't let anyone down! Enjoy.**

* * *

Aaron rushed through the hospital, back to Robert's room, feeling panic and desperation to see him. Chas stood outside, smiling at him. "He's awake?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, God, his timing…"

"I'm going home," Chas said, feeling that giving them some privacy could only be a good thing. "Get some sleep," she advised. Aaron pushed past her, into Robert's hospital room. He was sat up, but his eyes were closed.

"Robert?"

"Showed up, then?" Robert teased lightly.

"Oh, thank God," Aaron said on a sigh, closing his eyes briefly as he sat down next to Robert, taking his hand again. "You're awake." He looked really ill, his face pale and dark circles under his eyes but he was awake and looking at him, and breathing. That was so important.

"Don't do that to me," Aaron said, kissing him. "Please God, don't ever do that to me again." He kissed him desperately, until Robert twisted away.

"Hey," he said quietly, a hand on Aaron's face lightly. "I've never seen you like this."

"I've never felt so close to losing you," Aaron said. "I can't… You can't do that to me."

"I didn't get thrown through a car to piss you off, Aaron."

Aaron smiled slightly. "I should call Vic. She's almost been as worried about you as I have."

"Almost?" Robert questioned, a slight tilt of his mouth.

"I thought… you can't do that to me," he repeated.

"Aaron…"

"No, I mean… saying goodbye to me like that. Once I'd pulled you from the car. Do you remember?"

"Of course I do," Robert said. "I… thought I was dying. I might have said some things…"

"You did say some things," Aaron said, his lips twitching as he tried not to smile.

"I thought I was dying," he repeated.

"That mean you didn't mean it?" Aaron asked.

"No, course I meant it. Just wouldn't have come out quite like that."

"I love you," Aaron said. He rarely said that without prompting, or Robert saying it first, so it surprised him. Robert knew it was a sign of how scared he had been over the past few days.

"I know."

"I'll call Vic," Aaron said.

"Okay," Robert said. "Come here first." Aaron smiled as he pulled him into a long kiss. When they parted, Aaron looked less than happy, which annoyed Robert no end.

"What is it?"

"I can't lose you, Robert," Aaron said simply. "The last few days… I can't cope without you."

Robert looked into his eyes, seeing the fear and the relief both there. "I scared you, didn't I?" Robert said slowly, realising it for the first time.

"Yes." And Aaron wasn't even hiding it either.

"Call Vic," Robert said, at a loss of what to say.

"Okay," he said.

"Then go home," he suggested. "You look like hell."

"I've not slept in days."

"Sleep," Robert said. "I'll still be here tomorrow."

"Okay," Aaron said. He leaned over Robert and kissed him very softly. "I'll be back tomorrow."

"Good. I love you." Aaron smiled slightly at that as he left, calling Vic as he went.

* * *

In the morning, Aaron felt a hundred times better. He'd had a shower, slept and eaten some proper food. And Robert was awake, which was a major plus. He made himself coffee and sat at the kitchen table, waking himself up before going to the hospital. He needed to be awake enough to drive.

"Alright love?" Chas said, sitting opposite him.

"Yeah, I am," he said, smiling slightly. "Slept, and going to see Robert soon."

"Good," Chas said. "Listen, I um…"

Chas tailed off and he looked at his mother, waiting. "Spit it out, then," Aaron said.

"When Robert woke up… and saw me there, he panicked," Chas said. "He thought something had happened to you in the crash. He was so scared that something had happened to you. He thought I was there to give him bad news."

"He didn't mention that," Aaron said, frowning.

"Well, he wouldn't, would he?" Chas shook her head slightly. For her, it was good to know that Robert loved her son. That if the positions had been reversed, he'd have been just as worried about Aaron waking up.

* * *

Aaron walked into Robert's hospital room, and seeing him sleeping, he sat on the chair next to him.

"Oh, it's you," Robert said, opening his eyes.

"Nice to know I'm wanted," Aaron quipped.

"I thought you were the nurse. I've had so many tests done, I thought it was easier to pretend to be asleep."

"Budge up, then." Robert smirked slightly, moving across the bed so Aaron could lie next to him. Robert smiled as Aaron kissed him gently.

"Have they told you when they're letting me out of here?" Robert asked. "I'm not getting any answers."

"You've just had surgery," Aaron reminded him.

"Aaron, you'd hate being stuck in hospital too, you know you would."

"Well, yeah," he agreed, making Robert smile. Aaron kissed him again.

"I'm not going anywhere," Robert reminded him gently.

"Make sure you don't." Aaron kissed him again, only interrupted when the door opened.

"Oh, clearly someone's feeling better," a nurse said, smiling as Aaron got off the bed, feeling highly embarrassed that they'd been caught like that.

"Are you going to let me go home yet?" Robert asked.

"No," the nurse said simply, making marks on her clipboard as she looked at the readings on the machines. "You've only been conscious for twelve hours, give or take. Need to make sure you're not going to relapse."

"I'm fine," Robert said impatiently.

"Any pain with your breathing?"

"No."

"Right, and when you're not trying to show off for your boyfriend?" the nurse asked shrewdly, smiling at him.

"Alright, yes," he said, reluctantly. Aaron looked at him, worried. He'd not mentioned any trouble breathing at all. What else was he hiding?

"Out of ten, how much does it hurt?"

"Five." The nurse simply looked at him, waiting for the truth and Robert gave in. "Seven."

"Robert…"

"I'm fine," he said dismissively.

"You've lost a significant portion of your right lung, it'll hurt for a while," the nurse said.

"What?" Aaron asked, his voice going quiet. The nurse could clearly see she wasn't needed and made a swift exit. "You've lost some of your lung?"

"Apparently," Robert said. "It's fine."

"I had no idea," Aaron said in disbelief. "But… They didn't tell me."

"You're not family," Robert said uncomfortably after a moment. "I'm sorry. Once they told me, I didn't want you to worry. You were already frantic."

"Wasn't frantic," Aaron grumbled, feeling like he'd been left out of the loop through no fault of his own. "Did Vic know?"

"Probably," Robert admitted.

"Are you going to be all right?"

"I'll be fine," Robert said dismissively. "Calm down, Aaron," he added, feeling his anger fill up the room, though he'd not said anything. He knew Aaron better than that, sometimes words weren't needed between the pair of them.

"I have to go," he said.

"Aaron, don't," Robert called after him. "Aaron!" Aaron ignored him, and didn't see Robert wince at the pulling in his chest that shouting after Aaron had caused.

* * *

 **Thank you for the reviews so far! I love to know what you think.**


	5. Chapter 5

"Hang on, I'm coming." Victoria hurried down the stairs to the hammering on her front door. She opened it to see a very angry Aaron on her doorstep.

"Did you know?" he asked without bothering to wait for any pleasantries.

"Good morning, Aaron, how are you?" Victoria asked sweetly, with a false smile on her face as she retreated into the house, Aaron following her.

"Cut the crap, Vic. Did you know about Robert?"

"Yes," she said. "The doctor pulled me aside and mentioned about his lung. I assume that's what you mean?"

"Of course it is," he said, still angry. "Unless you're hiding anything else?"

"I would have told you," Victoria said. "But you were so worried already, I thought it might… tip you over the edge."

"Vic, that's not good enough. He could have died."

"I know," she said. "Look, he's my brother, and I love him. But you're my friend too, and I hated seeing you fall apart."

"He's lost half a lung, and you thought I didn't deserve to know that?"

She sighed heavily, but said nothing.

"Vic…"

"Would you rather be yelling at me, or in hospital with Robert?" she asked. "Come on. You'd have done the same."

"No, I wouldn't," Aaron said surely. He turned and left, still angry but realising that Victoria was right about one thing. He would rather be in hospital with Robert.

* * *

"How bad is it?" Aaron asked as he went into Robert's hospital room yet again. "And don't sugar coat it this time."

"I'll recover," Robert said. "Don't be so dramatic."

"Robert…"

"I just… I won't be able to run any marathons any time soon. That's all."

"Right, and the rest?"

"I might have problems exercising, breathing deeply at times. I'll be fine." Robert shook his head. "Sit down."

Aaron did, reluctantly, but knew he had to calm down. He changed the subject, away from Robert and his missing lung.

"Mum said you were worried about me," Aaron said quietly. "When you woke up."

"Yeah," Robert admitted after a moment. "I saw her there and… at the time the only thing I remembered was the car crash, you next to me. I thought they'd leave it to Chas to tell me that you didn't make it."

"I didn't realise," Aaron said, shaking his head. "I wouldn't have left you if I knew you were going to wake up and think that."

"I couldn't bear losing you," Robert said quietly. "It's not just one way."

"I know that," Aaron said. He gripped Roberts hand tightly, kissing him gently.

"I love you."

* * *

 _Three days later._

Robert half collapsed into bed, finally home. He would never admit to anyone how much pain he was currently in, let alone Aaron. Luckily, he didn't have to. Aaron gave him a glass of water and his painkillers in silence.

"Thanks," Robert said, swallowing the pills, waiting for them to make a dent in the pain.

"How bad?" Aaron asked.

"I'm fine," Robert said, the lie evident by the wince on his face.

"Right, and you think I'll buy that?"

"Aaron, don't give me a hard time, I've just come out of hospital."

"I know," he said quietly. Aaron perched on the edge of the bed, running his hands over his face impatiently.

"What's wrong?" Robert asked him.

"Nothing."

"God, I hate it when you lie to me," Robert said under his breath. "Tell me what's wrong."

"I want more," he said quietly. "I don't like it like this. I don't like having you only for now. I don't like being temporary. I want you for good."

"You know I don't see you as temporary," Robert said, stung by that. "Or you should know that by now. After all we've been through?"

"Yeah, I know. But…"

"But what?"

"Forget it," Aaron said, shaking his head. "I'm being stupid."

"Aaron?" Robert said quietly. Aaron didn't answer, shaking his head and walking out, leaving Robert to just watch him go. He sighed heavily, then frowned in pain as that pulled hard on his chest, hurting.

* * *

 **Just one more chapter to go! Hope this fic has been enjoyed so far.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you to those who've been reading, especially those who've reviewed. Got to the end, phew! Enjoy the last chapter...**

* * *

After an hour, Robert realised that Aaron probably wasn't coming home any time soon. Even knowing he should be on bed rest, he desperately needed to finish that conversation. If Aaron was saying what he thought he was saying… Robert shook his head to himself and struggled down the stairs, slowly. He felt as if he'd aged twenty years in the space of a week, and hoped that the lack of part of his right lung wouldn't always be this restrictive.

Once in the kitchen, he doubled up his medication, which he probably shouldn't be doing, but he was going to find Aaron. And he needed the painkillers to keep him upright and mobile.

Knowing he shouldn't be driving, he called Victoria. Predictably she said there was no way she was helping him leave the house when he should be on bed rest. Once she'd finished her diatribe, Robert cut in.

"Listen, Vic, I am going to find Aaron whether you help me or not. It'll just hurt a lot more if you make me walk."

"Fine," she said huffing. "But if you push yourself too far, you'll end up back in hospital."

"Yeah, yeah," he said. "Can you just get over here please?" She agreed, much to Robert's relief.

* * *

Up at the scrap yard, Robert was very relieved to see Aaron's car parked outside. First place he'd looked too.

"You can go home," Robert said to Vic, smiling at her tightly. "Thanks for the lift."

"You're going to kill yourself, you know?"

"I just want a conversation with him, Vic."

"Yeah. If only he hadn't spent the last week glued to your side," she said sarcastically. Robert ignored her and got out of the car, walking slowly to the cabin. He didn't hear her car drive away, but didn't really care.

He opened the door to the cabin, seeing Adam on one side, Aaron on the other.

"What're you doing up?" Aaron asked, clearly surprised to see him.

"I needed to talk to you," Robert said.

Adam cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I'll just go then," he said. "It's good to see you out of hospital," he added. Robert nodded, watching as Adam left, the door closing quietly. He had no doubt that Adam and Victoria would be having a conversation about the two of them right now.

"You should be in bed," Aaron said quietly.

"I couldn't leave that conversation there," Robert said, sitting down heavily. He wanted to clutch his chest but knew Aaron would worry unnecessarily.

"You don't look well," Aaron said. He didn't. Robert's face was pale, and he could tell that he was still in a lot of pain, even if Robert was trying to hide it.

"Can you just forget about my state of health for a minute?" Robert said, bored of talking about himself. "What you said…"

"Please, forget it," Aaron said, looking uncomfortable. "It doesn't matter."

"Of course it matters," Robert said, looking at him. He was beginning to feel better now that he was sat down. "Did you mean what I thought you meant?"

"Robert, drop it," Aaron said sharply. Robert reached for him, covering his hand resting on the desk with his own. Aaron didn't say anything but turned his palm over, letting Robert lace their fingers together. The light touches of their skin sent small tremors through each of them, even from such an innocent contact. Even after all this time. Robert was weighing his words carefully, deciding what he should say. Or rather, how he should say it.

"It wasn't my decision to keep you out of the loop," Robert said, speaking quietly. "With my medical details, that was never my choice."

"I know," Aaron said. "I don't like it, but I do know that."

"If it'd been you…"

"I know," Aaron said.

"I'd have been going out of my mind, worrying over you," Robert continued. "I love you, Aaron. I don't want to think about spending a day without you, ever. So… if you _did_ mean anything by what you said earlier…" Robert couldn't go on, but was more than a little relieved to see Aaron's lips twitching up in a small smile.

"Probably when you've just come out of hospital… might not the right time?" Aaron's eyes were light, and the seriousness had gone from the conversation and they both knew it. Now Aaron knew he wasn't facing rejection, he could smile, making Robert relax too.

"I don't care," Robert said, smirking at him. "Marry me."

Aaron smiled widely, his eyes bright. They were both leaning closer to each other over the desk. Aaron took a moment, as if he was thinking about his answer, though Robert knew he was faking it. "Alright then," he said with a smile.

"Sound eager, why don't you?" Robert said, still smirking at him. Aaron didn't reply with words, instead he grabbed Robert's jacket, pulling him close and kissing him, softly at first. Robert's hand cradled his face gently as he sucked Aaron's bottom lip, making him moan. Aaron deepened the kiss and Robert frowned, pulling away after a moment.

"What?"

"Can't breathe," he said, putting a hand to the right side of his chest. Aaron looked on, concerned, but he recovered quickly.

"Just until it heals," he said. "It'll get better." Aaron kissed him, briefly this time.

"I think I should take you home," Aaron said, unable to hide the smile completely. "You should be in bed."

"Oh, engaged for all of five minutes and you're already trying to get me in bed," Robert quipped, smiling slightly.

"Resting," Aaron said pointedly.

Robert rolled his eyes. "No fun." Aaron laughed. They kissed again, leaning over the desk. When Robert backed off again, struggling for breath, Aaron shook his head.

"I'm taking you home," he said firmly. The fact that Robert didn't even argue told Aaron how bad he was feeling. He picked up his car keys, unable to hide the smile on his face. When he looked back at Robert, he was pleased to see he looked exactly the same. Unable to resist, Aaron kissed him once more.


End file.
